Book details
Zilpha Keatley Snyder - Author
A lonely boy and a curious new friend explore a mansion and try to stop someone stealing a long-lost family treasure.
Determined to be as strong and powerful as the first Harleigh, who built the rambling Weatherby Hall, twelve-year-old Harleigh Fourth and an equally diminutive new friend try to foil the plans of a distant relative who is seeking the long-lost Weatherby fortune. Harleigh J. Weatherby IV feels misunderstood. At age twelve he is about as tall as a six-year-old, and no one lets him forget it. At school the bullies nicknamed him "Hardly." Now he is homeschooled at the Weatherby mansion, where strict Aunt Adelaide is always on his case about something. Then Harleigh meets Allegra. When she literally flies over the walls of Weatherby and into Harleigh's life, the two form an unlikely friendship. Allegra is fascinated by the enormous Weatherby mansion, and against Harleigh's orders, sneaks inside. Together they discover that someone is trying to find -- and steal -- the long-lost Weatherby treasure. Will Harleigh and Allegra be able to foil the villain and save Weatherby House?
Book Analysis
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Sign in for personalised guidanceHow the book presents it: Their friendship is part of the story’s central premise, alongside the treasure mystery.
Talk about: What do Harleigh and Allegra seem to value in one another?
Talk about: What clues help the friends work out what is happening?
The story pairs a treasure mystery with a boy’s experience of feeling misunderstood, giving readers both a puzzle to follow and a friendship to consider.
Harleigh’s short stature is a focus of hurtful attention: school bullies nickname him “Hardly”, and he feels misunderstood. Consider whether this might resonate with your child.
What do you think helps Harleigh and Allegra become friends, and how might each bring something different to their search?
Read together if useful, pausing when the treasure mystery raises questions. Let your child lead on predictions, then check what the story reveals before settling on an answer.
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
The Treasures of Weatherby - Zilpha Keatley Snyder - Google Books
Limited information
Checked: 1 October 2026.
Relevant to: An unlikely friendship; The treasure mystery
The Treasures of Weatherby by Zilpha Keatley Snyder | Open Library
Limited information
Checked: 1 October 2026.
Relevant to: An unlikely friendship; The treasure mystery
Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.
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